JWatson wrote:Has anyone used removal sampling in multi-season modeling? Are there issues I should be aware of? I have run some test files and don't see anything unusual in the output but want to cover all the bases before the design is implemented.
JWatson,
I will take a quick stab for you, sorry for slow response on this one, we are usually quicker.
I don't think you have anything specific to be aware of relative to your estimates of colonization and extinction. Colonization and extinction parameters are based off of the presence/absence data collected on your between season surveys on your sample sites, so if you are using an appropriate design wherein you repeating your surveys enough time to ensure detection given the critter was there (e.g., MacKenzie and Royle 2005) then you are probably alright on the estimates for those (and for using covariates on them). However, you need to remember that under a removal design, you are likely not going to be able to model variability in detection using a host of covariates as you go til you hear one then your done, so keep that in mind. I did a pretty simple one of these a few years ago (J. Wildlife Management 74: 140-147), but not knowing your species/study design that is about as specific as I can get, hope it helps.
Bret